The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved the Himalayan Yak as a ‘food animal’. 

Food animals are those that are raised and used for food production or consumption by humans.

The move is expected to help check decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine animal by making it a part of the conventional milk and meat industry.

Significance of food animal tag

• The animal plays a multi-dimensional socio-cultural-economic role for the pastoral nomads who rear yaks mainly for earning their nutritional and livelihood security due to virtual inexistence of other agricultural activity in the high reaches of Himalayan region. 

• Traditionally, yaks are reared under a transhumance system which is primitive, unorganised and full of hardship.

• Yak milk is highly nutritious, rich in fat, contains essential minerals and has medicinal value.

• Yak farmers produce various traditional meat products. These products are confined to local community level, produced and sold locally.

• As per the latest census carried out in 2019, India has 58,000 yaks which is around 25 per cent drop from last livestock census carried out in 2012.

• The decline in yak population could be attributed to less remuneration from yak and so the younger generations are reluctant to continue with nomadic yak rearing. 

• It is mainly because yak milk and meat are not a part of the conventional dairy and meat industry. Their sale is limited to local consumers.

• FSSAI’s recognition of Yak as a food producing animal will help farmers benefit economically for rearing the animal and it will open up several vistas of economic benefits for both farmers and food processors.

• The Centre has developed a semi-intensive model of yak rearing in which yaks are maintained in open area as well as in paddock round the year. 

• It is widely believed that declaration of yak as a food animal by FSSAI will pave the way for its commercial rearing and consumption by adopting the yak rearing model developed by National Research Centre (NRC) on Yak.

• ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak is a premier research institute exclusively engaged in research and development of yak (Poephagus grunniens L.) in India. 

• The institute was established in 1989 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at Dirang, West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various Acts and orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various ministries and departments. 

• FSSAI was created for laying down scientific standards for food articles and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

• The ministry of health and family welfare is the administrative ministry for the implementation of FSSAI. 

The main functions of FSSAI include:

• Setting globally benchmarked regulations, standards and guidelines.

• Facilitating compliance through licensing, registration, inspection and improved laboratory network.

• Building capacity of regulatory staff as well as food business operators.

• Driving public health initiatives in the true spirit of convergence.

• Leveraging IEC (Information, Education & Communication) and BCC (behaviour change communication) techniques to build a food safety culture.

• Embracing technology to streamline processes. 

• Forging strategic partnerships to generate and exchange knowledge and best practices.

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